Visitor policy

Informatics policy on School visitors.

The University’s Visiting Student Policy is available here: University Visiting Student Policy

School advice on the admission and fee status of visiting students is available at:

UG Visiting Student Policy

PGT Visiting Student Policy

PGR Visiting Student Policy

Additional School advice on the Room and Desk allocation of visiting research students and research staff is available at:

Room Allocation Policy

Supporting College Office advice on the administration of PGR Visiting Students is available at:

https://www.wiki.ed.ac.uk/display/CSEPGRS/Visiting+Students

 

Visiting researchers and Professional Services staff policy

The School of Informatics welcomes visitors who will enhance the reputation of the School. 

The purpose of this policy is to establish the different types of visitors to the School and outline the processes required for arranging visitor access to the School’s systems and/or premises. For insurance purposes, all visitors of longer than one week, whether resident or remote, must be registered on the Visitor Registration System (VRS), as outlined below.

Registration as a visitor is a privilege and those submitting requests for visitor registration should be certain that their visitor needs this status to undertake their work and ensure their visitor adheres to the University’s Code of Conduct, Computing Regulations, Data Protection and other University Regulations and Policies.

Although various administrative staff members have access, the Institutes Administration Manager (Kasia Stoinska) has primary responsibility for the system.

The visitor’s host must complete a Informatics Visitor Registration Form (72.19 KB Word) preferably one month in advance of the proposed visit date. This is to allow enough time for professional services staff to create the visitor account and ensure receipt of the appropriate visitor fee (if applicable). The academic and research visit should be agreed by Director of Institute (or nominated deputy).

Students wishing to undertake a non-credit bearing research visit, for longer than 14 days, under the supervision of an Informatics academic supervisor should contact the Informatics Graduate School for assistance with visit approval and EUCLID registration.

The School reserves the right to withdraw the visitor status at any time.

 

Visitor definitions

 

1. Resident (in person) Visitors
  • a. Short Term visitors

Individuals who are visiting the School for less than one week do not need to be registered on the Visitor Registration System (VRS), however their details are recorded locally for the duration of their visit. This category of visitor may include Institute invited seminar and conference speakers and external examiners, who do not usually require access to University of Edinburgh systems or services.

Short term visitors do not need to pay a Visitor Fee and are offered access to Wi-Fi and hot-desking facilities, where available.

Please complete the registration form here and send to institutes-admin@inf.ed.ac.uk.

 

  • b. Visits lasting more than one week

All visitors who will have access to University or School premises (“resident visitor”) for more than one week must be registered on the Visitor Registration System (VRS) and pay a Visitors fee. Resident visitors need to be sponsored by a current member of staff within the School (“the host”), who will act as their host for the duration of the visit. The School can offer a visitor residency within the school for a period of up to a maximum twelve months.

To arrange for a resident visitor – the host must submit a completed Informatics Visitor Registration Form (72.19 KB Word)to the Institutes Administration team preferably one month in advance of the proposed visit date. This will allow us to ensure all necessary preparation have taken place. The Director of Institute (or nominated deputy) should approve the academic/ researcher visits and agree that the visit is of benefit to the research institute and, in consultation with the admin team, determine whether there is sufficient space to accommodate the visitor. The relevant Professional Services Manager (or nominated deputy) should approve professional service visits.

Resident visitors are required to pay a Visitors Fee of £100 per month (or £25 per week)* which will be split 50% between the Research institute and 50% to the School general account. Visitors will be provided with access to:

  • Laboratories for research collaboration* (subject to limitations and procedures in place for accessing laboratories);
  • Access to University wired and wireless network
  • Library
  • School computing infrastructure, such as file storage and backups, remote unix desktop, computer servers
  • GPU clusters, where agreed1
  • School programme of research activities including seminars, visiting speakers, workshops and guest lectures
  • A visitor staff card for use during the visit
  • Access to Informatics Forum or another designated School building

Payment of the Visitors Fee does not guarantee desk space; however, every effort will be made to provide some space or access to hot desk facilities. Visitors of longer than a month (cumulative) are required to complete the university’s mandatory Information Security and Data Protection training.

The Visitor Fee must be paid in full prior to the start of the visit. Payments can be made by bank transfer, invoice or via ePay; details of which will be approved by Institutes Administration Team when the visitor application has been approved.

Approval to waive the Visitors Fee must be provided by both the Director of Institute and Director of Professional Services (delegated to Institute Administration Manager).

Note: For visitors from outside of the UK, individual members of staff should not get involved in advising on visa types, providing letters of support or committing to paying visitors for work. Visitors to the School are self funded.

*The School has elected not to charge an additional Visitor’s Fee for visitors making extensive use of core-funded research laboratories or GPU/compute resources during their visit, given the majority of visitors would be using research project funded equipment and computer resources. However, Directors of Institute should use their discretion to charge an additional fee if a visitor will be using core funded equipment. The additional fee will be received by the Research Institute.

 

  • c. Casual Staff

Staff who are engaged to undertake temporary work within an institute (either backfilling an existing staff member or a specific project) must be registered as a visitor using the Informatics Visitor Registration Form (72.19 KB Word). There are separate requirements regarding the appointment and payment of casual staff - details of which are available from Portfolio Managers and the Institutes Administration Team for institute based staff; or from InfHR for Professional Services and other staff.

Casual staff would not normally be required by pay a Resident Visitors Fee, assuming:

  • The work being undertaken by the casual is delivery of work that the School has committed to deliver – such as backfilling a post, supporting delivery of a School research grant/project, etc.
  • The casual is occupying and using School resources (including a desk) commensurate with the hours they are being paid.

As with other visitors, there is no guarantee of desk space for casual staff, although every effort will be made to provide space for them to undertake the duties for which they are being paid.

Visitors of longer than a month (cumulative) are required to complete the University’s mandatory Informatics Security and Data Protection Training.

 

  • d. University of Edinburgh Student Interns

The School often hosts interns in our research groups. Student interns are usually undergraduate or masters students from the University of Edinburgh and participate in research/ project work for a fixed period of time, usually over the summer. Interns may occasionally be compensated with a fixed rate stipend payment. Matriculated students from within the University of Edinburgh do not need to be registered on the Visitor Registration System, however their details are recorded locally for the duration of their visit.

University of Edinburgh student interns would not normally be required to pay a Resident Visitors Fee, assuming:

  • The work being carried out by the intern is commensurate with the hours they have agreed to undertake
  • They are students at the University of Edinburgh

Registration is arranged through the Institutes Admin Team (institutes-admin@inf.ed.ac.uk)

As with other visitors, there is no guarantee of desk space for Interns, although every effort will be made to provide space for them to undertake the duties for which they are participating.

Visitors of longer than a month (cumulative) are required to complete the University’s mandatory Informatics Security and Data Protection Training.

 

  • e. Non University of Edinburgh Students

Non University of Edinburgh Students (including student PGR visitors) visiting the school for a period of less than 14 days should be registered in the same way as a short term visitor (refer above).

Short term visits of PGR student visitors cannot be extended without the consent of the Informatics Graduate School, who will need to register the individual on EUCLID.

Student visits such as those on reciprocal exchange programmes or Erasmus Traineeships lasting more than 14 days, should apply directly through the Informatics Graduate School and be registered on EUCLID.

Visitors of longer than a month (cumulative) are required to complete the University’s mandatory Information Security and Data Protection training.

Please note that the Visitor's Fee requirement as mentioned in 1 b. would still be in effect for visits over 1 week (5 working days).

 

  • f. Visitors with Honorary and Emeritus Professor positions

Anyone with an honorary position may request to be registered as a visitor for the period of their honorary status, as can Emeritus Professors, where access is required to School or University buildings, facilities and services (such as email, University library, etc).

No Visitors Fee is payable by those holding an Honorary or Emeritus Professor position.

Registration is arranged via the Institutes Administration Team. Visitors of longer than a month (cumulative) are required to complete the University’s mandatory Information Security and Data Protection training.

 

2. Remote (Non-resident) visitors
  • a. Collaborators

This category covers individuals who have close working relationships with staff within the School and who need access to the School’s computing infrastructure to continue this collaboration, but will not be resident in the School for any period of time. Former postgraduate students, RAs and academic staff are the most common categories. Each person needs to be sponsored by a current staff member within the School.

The process for registering these visits is the same as for Resident (In person) visits.

A Visitors Fee is not payable for non-resident visitors, unless the visitor will be using computing resource which is expensive and in short supply**.

Non- resident visits can extend to a maximum period of twelve months, after which a new Informatics Visitor Registration Form (72.19 KB Word) and approval is required.

Visits should be organised via the Institute Administration Team by completion of the School’s Informatics Visitor Registration Form (72.19 KB Word). The Director of Research Institute (or nominated deputy) is responsible for approving the visit.

Visitors of longer than a month (cumulative) are required to complete the University’s mandatory Informatics Security and Data Protection Training.

**Former staff will generally not be expected to pay a Visitor’s Fee for a period of three months following their resignation/end date even if using computing resource that is expensive and in short supply

 

  • b. Other

For those people not officially part of the School of Informatics and having no research related reason to access the Informatics Forum we will not be providing unrestricted (swipe card) access. If invited to the building access can be achieved either via the main Reception, or by arrangement with your host.

Policy Approved by: Strategy Committee 29/07/21